Essay on Taming of the Shrew: Deciphering Kate’s Shrewish Character

The Taming of the Shrew Deciphering Kates Shrewish Character The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeares most popular plays. It is both a humourous and complex play with characters that are appealing and believable drawn from life and based on a keen understanding of human nature. One rat see this in the main character of the play, the shrew Katherine. The reasons for Kates shrewd behavior as well as her tameness have puzzled Critics and Shakespearean scholars for ages. This set about will attempt to decipher Kates shrewish character from the beginning with her father and sister, through the middle with her first-class honours degree meeting of Petruchio, to the finale where she is finally tamed. There is a strong underlying notion that Kates shrewish behavior is a by-product of the mistreatment of her sister and father. Firstly, Kates father continually humiliates her in public. For example, when Baptista, Kates father, informed Biancas suitors, Tranio and Lucentio, in p ublic that he will not allow either of them to marry his younger daughter until a husband is found for Katherine, he is in effect announcing he first wants to have Katherine off his hands. He then offers her to either of Biancas suitors. Katherines humiliation at this point is complete. Not only is she discussed on a public street same a piece of scandalous gossip but she is also offered to her sisters suitors by her own father and profusely turned onward as one turns away from a piece of rotten meat. Kate then tries to reveal her mortification to her father, I pray you, sir, is it your will/To make a stale of me amongst these mates?(57-58). Upon hearing this, Hortensio scolds Kate for her disreputable temper to which she replies that i... .... There is now obvious kernel between the two, and Petruchio says of their new harmony, Is not this well? (154). He calls her his sweet Kate, and she recognizes the sincerity of the epithet. Therefore, with careful love and affection stemm ing from Petruchios sincerity towards Katherine, her shrewd behavior turns into sweet honey. In conclusion, due to her father and sisters lack of affection and humiliation, Kate develops a nasty shrewish character. She then recognizes her equal when she meets Petruchio, in so far she has no choice but to keep acting as a shrew. It is not until Petruchio wins Kates affection through his kindness and love that she finally lets go of her shrewish cover and becomes the envied wife of every husband Works ConsultedShakespeare, William. The Taming of the Shrew. Ed. Milton Glaser. New York Signet, 1971.